SALE Sharks' international stars arrived back in camp today knowing that the pressure stays on ahead of Friday night's crucial Powergen Cup quarter-final clash with Saracens at Edgeley Park.

Minutes after walking off the field at Murrayfield on Saturday, the first thing that new cap Chris Jones wanted to know was how the Sharks had fared at Northampton Saints.

I didn't know the result at that stage, so I was not able to spoil his evening after what had been a highly impressive first start for his country.

It has been a tough two weeks for the Sharks, stripped of their senior and Under-21 stars.

But fans can take hope if they find the same form in Sale colours as they have playing for their countries.

Form

Jones, a try-scoring replacement in Rome the previous weekend, confirmed that promise with a performance that won admiration from all quarters.

"The standard was very high but you always want to raise your game in those circumstances," he told me. "The build-up during the week had gone well and the atmosphere at Murrayfield was fantastic.

"I have been lucky because I have a lot to learn, but I am surrounded by people who can help me.

"Our skipper, Lawrence Dallaglio, and Richard Hill have been very helpful and give me advice all the time.

"It was great to get a win and I thought I was going to get another try when I had a dash up the touchline in the second-half."

Jones did well at the line-out and around the park, but the really comforting news for Sale is that the player who stood out for Scotland was Jason White -- playing opposite Jones in Scotland's back row.

Although he has played quite a bit of rugby in the second row for Scotland and only came off the bench against Wales the previous week, he now seems firmly established at blindside.

Back row

He said: "I think new coach Matt Williams is keen that I play in the back row, which suits me because that's my club position."

Scotland used all means possible to raise the spirits of their players and fans before the fairly predictable 35-13 defeat by England.

England tend to set off fireworks, but the Scots packed the pitch with tartan-kilted pipe bands, hardy pipers even played on the roof of the stands and there was so much glitter and ticker-tape raining down that you could hardly see the pitch.

It left England manager Sir Clive Woodward considerably unimpressed. He said: "We came to play rugby, not attend a pop concert. Some of this stuff is getting out of hand."

It wasn't vintage England, but they are so far ahead of the pack these days that they don't have to hit the high notes every time.